Portable degreasing appliance



July 7, 1942. R. M. KOCH PORTABLE DEGREASING APPLIANCE Filed July 11, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZSmaentor Renam flour (Ittornegs y 1942- R. M. KOCH 2,289,023

PORTABLE DEGREASING APPLIANCE Filed July 11, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v w fPoDER/c f7. ffocfl Gttorneg 3nventor Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE 5 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved portable degreasing appliance which, while especially designed for use in dissolving and removing extraneous materials and substances from the exposed surfaces of comparatively small articles or work, is also well adapted for other uses.

My invention is embodied in a degreasing appliance of the type employing a volatile liquid solvent that is capable of dissolving and removing the extraneous substances or materials, either by a liquid bath applied to the articles, or by a vapor bath so applied, thereby cleansing the exposed surfaces of the articles preparatory to the finishing process that may subsequently be applied to the cleansed and dried articles.

As is well known in the art, various metallic articles, tools, and other devices in their course of manufacture acquire a surface coating or film of oil, grease, wax, dirt, and other extraneous materials or substances, which must necessarily be removed before the work is made ready for commercial use as by painting, enameling, electro-plating, or subjected to other finishing processes. In addition to numerous metallic articles this work may include non-metallic materials, textile materials, fabrics, and other articles that require degreasing or cleansing.

In the practice of my invention these extraneous and undesirable materials or substances are quickly dissolved and the work is thoroughly cleansed in an eflicient and economical manner with regard to the quantity of the volatile liquid solvent consumed as well as to the application of heat required in vaporizing the solvent.

In carrying out my invention, the articles to be cleansed are deposited in a boiling-chamber or degreasing-chamber containing a charge of the liquid solvent, the solvent is heated to the boiling point or vaporizing temperature to dissolve the extraneous substances, the vaporized solvent is condensed, distilled, and then clarified, and this recovered liquid solvent is, or may be, returned to the degreasing chamber for subsequent use. The cleansed work is of course removed from the degreasing chamber, and due to the fact that it is heated during the process of cleansing, the work is quickly and conveniently dried for subsequent treatment.

The portable appliance is embodied in a simple construction involving a minimum number of parts in order that it may be manufactured at low cost of production and with facility, and it is efiicient in the performance of its required functions. The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings I have disclosed one complete form of the physical embodiment of the invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. It will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in these exemplifying structures, as indicated in the modified structures of the drawings, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a portable appliance embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal, transverse, sectional view of the appliance, as at line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, detail, fragmentary sectionalv view showing an auxiliary distilling tube of modified form that may be employed.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, similar a to Figure 1, but showing the distilling tubes exposed to the atmosphere, an exterior distillatecollecting chamber, with the lid or closure omitted.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one half of the structure of Fig. 4.

In the invention disclosed in the drawings, I employ a tank I, hereconventionally shown as an upright cylinder of substantial height, which includes a base ring or bottom ring 2 that is mounted upon a supporting frame 3, having casters or swiveled rollers 4, in order that the appliance may be trundledorrolled from one place to another in a shop for convenience in use.

The interior of the tall cylindrical tank forms a boiling-chamber or degreasing-chamber 5 in which the work to be cleansed is deposited, and heating means for vaporizing the contained volatile liquid solvent in this chamber are located preferably at the bottom of the tank. For convenience of illustration I have indicated a number of conventional, heating units, as 6, which are connected with a suitable source of electrical supply, and these units are located in the bottom of a central housing 1. The housing projects both above and below the base ring 2, and the electric heating units mounted. in the bottom portion of the housing are accessible for repair and replacement, if necessary, when a detachable bottom plate 8 is removed.

The housing forms an interior well 9 for the volatile liquid solvent, into which a supply of,

l3, forming a grid, at the top of the well when r such grid is used. The work to be degreased, as for instance small castings, may first be deposited in a reticulated basket or receptacle, and then the loaded basket is placed upon the top of the well. Under such practice the grid is not :necessary, as indicated in Figure 4, and the loaded basket is deposited on the open-top well. Or

the work may include a number of small articles that are stacked or piled around the annular space or trough above the ring 2 and over the grid plate l3 to a desirable height in Figure 1,

and then a supply of the volatile solvent may be c furnished to the well 9 and the bottom of the degreasing chamber. The depth of the liquid solvent, of course, varies with different conditions in using the appliance, and the required supply of volatile liquid solvent may be maintained either continuously, or in intermittent charges.

For a vapor degreasing and cleansing bath of the work, the well may be filled, as through pipe ID, to the annular series of ports [2 in order that the liquid may be heated to the boiling temperai ture from the electric heaters 6, thus causing vapors in turbulent currents to fiow through ports l2 and the top grid-plate 13, if it is in use, up into the degreasing chamber.

If the steps of degreasing and cleansing the work are to be accomplished in a liquid, bath of the solvent, the turbulent currents created by heating the liquid solvent to the boiling point, flow upwardly through the stacked or piled articles, or through the work contained in a basket, in manner similar to the movement of the vapor currents in the vapor bath, and under both methods of use the extraneous materials and substances are dissolved and washed from the exposed surfaces of the work. During both cleansing processes the work is heated to a com paratively high temperature and therefore when withdrawn from the degreasing chamber in suitable manner, the work quickly dries.

In Figure 1 the level of the liquid solvent for a liquid bath is indicated by the line SL, and the seething currents of boiling liquid are vaporized at this level to flow upwardly into the upper portion of the tank where they are condensed and distilled. As before stated, the solvent line SL, or liquid level, occurs at various heights depending upon the quantity of solvent to be used.

The vapors from the boiling liquid solvent, which as well known are heavier than air, may be confined in the tank by a suitable closure, as for instance the lid or cover M in Figure 1, which is hinged to the tank at i5, and safety means may be provided if necessary to vent the air through a safety device mounted in the hinged cover, but not shown.

The upper portion of the tank forms an interior expansion chamber l1, either beneath the closure I4, or beneath a blanket of air in the top of the open tank as in Figure 4. In this expansion chamber the hot vapors from the boiling solvent are distilled as they contact with and are condensed on the inner surfaces [8 of the tank wall that encloses the expansion chamber.

The distilled solvent, clarified of all extraneous substances, flows down the condensing surfaces l8 to a collecting trough I9 mounted upon the tank wall at a suitable location between the degreasing chamber and the expansion chamber, and this trough extends circumferentially around the interior of the tank. The distilled solvent may overflow from this trough and flow back into the boiling liquid solvent in the degreasing chamber, or return to the liquid solvent in the well 9, and this cycle of vaporization, distillation, and return of the clarified liquid solvent continues during the heating period.

To increase the condensing areas surrounding the expansion chamber and facilitate the distillation of the vapors I utilize an annular series of auxiliary upright radial fins 20 on the condensing surface [8. A suitable number of these fins may be employed and they are provided with appropriate condensing-surface areas; and the fins are circumferentially spaced around the tank directly above the distillate trough so that the vapors condensing on these fins as well as on the wall 18 distill into the trough. In addition, these spaced fins provide guides, or guideways, for the condensed vapors and direct the distillate into the trough.

A draw-off pipe 2i, having a normally closed valve 22, is connected with the trough within the tank and projects outwardly through its wall, and if desired, this pipe 2| may be connected with pipe in to form a gravity feed or return circuit for restoring the hot distilled liquid solvent to the well 9. Under other conditions the two pipes Ill and 2| may be included in a closed pumping circuit by means of which the appliance is constantly replenished with clarified liquid solvent while continuing in operation.

To assist in the more rapid condensation and distillation of the vapors moving into the expansion chamber ii, a cooling jacket 23 is shown surrounding the walls of the chamber, and any suitable refrigerant may be circulated in fluid currents around the interior of the jacket from the inlet pipe 24 and out through the outlet pipe 25, for extracting and conveying heat from the condensing walls l3,

In combination with the cooling jacket for the purpose of adding to the condensing and distilling areas, and thereby enhancing the return movement of the clarified solvent to the well 9 or to the degreasing chamber, I employ an anchamber enter the ports into the auxiliary tubes and are condensed, due to the comparatively low temperature of the walls of the tubes, and these auxiliary streams of distilled liquid solvent flow through ports 28 to the interior of the tank and are collected in the trough l9.

In the modified form and shape of one of these auxiliary distilling tubes illustrated in Figure 3,

the tube 29 is fashioned of comparatively thin metal in bellows shape to increase the heatradiating area of the tubes exposed to the refrigerant in the jacket, or exposed to the atmosphere when the jacket is not utilized, as in Figures 4 and 5.

In Figure 1, the operation of the electric heating units 6 in the production of vaporized solvent may automatically be controlled in any suitable manner, as for instance, in accord with the temperature of the fluid refrigerating currents circulating in and passing through the cooling jacket 23. For this purpose I have illustrated a conventional control device including a bulb 30 located in the jacket and operatively connected with a thermostatic circuit breaker and circuit maker 3| mounted on the exterior of the jacket. The control device is included with the electric heating units 6 in the electric heating circuit for the appliance, and operates in usual and Well known manner for controlling the application of heat from the units to the liquid solvent.

For cleaning out purposes, the distilled solvent, as it is collected in the distillate trough 19, may be drawn oiT through pipe 2| and properly preserved for subsequent use. The pipe l may be employed as a drain pipe or waste pipe to withdraw accumulated waste matter from the degreasing tank and the well, and, after the sol- .ent has been removed, the interior of the appliance may be drenched and washed out in usual manner by the use of water hose, or in other convenient manner.

After the work has been cleansed by subjection to the above described treatment, the work is of course removed from the open tank, and as the work still retains heat acquired from the boiling temperature of the solvent, the work is readily dried and thus prepared for subsequent finishing processes.

In the modified form of the appliance shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lid is omitted from the tank I and the principle involved in the use of heavier than air vapor solvents is utilized in the open tank form of the invention.

The cooling jacket for the vapor chamber is also omitted and the atmosphere, as in cold weather, may be depended upon for cooling the series of auxiliary distilling tubes 26', having the upper and lower ports 21 and 28', as well as the condensing wall l8. These auxiliary distilling tubes are circumferentially spaced exterior of the expansion chamber and mounted in the tank walls, with a lower T-joint, and the lower open ends of the tubes below these joints project into and terminate within an exterior housing 32. The housing forms an exterior distillate collection chamber 33 which surrounds the tank, and is provided with ports 34 opening into the interior of the tank. These ports 34 are located just above the interior collecting trough I9 of the tank, as indicated in Figure 4, and a normally closed drain pipe 35 and valve 36 are provided for the solvent.

In Figures 4 and 5, the use of the grid-plate is dispensed with and the housing 1 forms an open top solvent-well with its surrounding annular trough located beneath the collecting trough Hi.

In Figure 4 Where the open ends of the tubes 26' terminate within the chamber 33, the lower ports 28' of the tubes 26' might in some instances be dispensed with, and the distillate will be collected in chamber 33. The distillate thus collected in chamber 33 may be drawn off through pipe 35, or the distillate may flow through ports 34 to be collected inside the tank in trough l9.

It will thus be apparent that the shape, size, and arrangement of the various parts of the appliance may be altered and adapted for the accommodation of different types or classes of work to be degreased and cleansed, and to meet varying conditions met with in the use of such an appliance.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a degreasing appliance of the type described and including an upright tank having an upper expansion chamber wherein the wall of said chamber forms a condensing surface for vaporized solvent, the combination of a series of auxiliary condensing tubes mounted adjacent the exterior of said wall, each of said tubes having upper and lower ports opening to the interior of said chamber, and an interior distillate-collecting trough mounted below the lower ports.

2. In a degreasing appliance of the type described and including an upright cylindrical tank having an upper expansion chamber wherein the wall of said chamber forms a condensing surface for distillation of vaporized solvent, a cooling jacket surrounding the exterior of said wall and means for passing a refrigerant through said jacket, an annular series of upright condensing tubes mounted on said wall and located in the jacket, and said tubes each having an upper and lower port opening to the interior of said chamher.

3. In a degreasing appliance of the type described and including an upright cylindrical tank having an upper expansion chamber wherein the wall of said chamber forms a condensing surface for distillation of vaporized solvent, of a cooling jacket mounted exterior of said wall and means for passing a refrigerant through said jacket, an annular series of auxiliary condensing tubes mounted on said wall and located in the jacket, each of said tubes having a bellows-shape, and each of said tubes also having an inlet port and an outlet port opening to the interior of the chamber.

4. In a degreasing appliance including an upright tank having an upper expansion chamber wherein the wall of said chamber forms a condensing surface for a vaporized solvent, the combination of a series of auxiliary condensing tubes mounted adjacent the exterior of said wall, said tubes each having upper and lower ports opening to the interior of the tank, an interior dis tillate-collecting trough mounted below said lower ports and a draw-off pipe connected to said trough, and an exterior distillate-collecting trough in which the lower open ends of said tubes terminate.

5. In a degreasing appliance including an upright cylindrical tank having an upper expansion chamber wherein the wall of said chamber forms a condensing surface for distillation of vaporized solvent, a cooling jacket surrounding the exterior of said wall and means for passing a refrigerant through said jacket, an annular series of upright condensing tubes mounted on said wall and located in the jacket, said tubes each having an upper and a lower port opening to the interior of said chamber, an interior distillate-collecting trough mounted below the lower ports, and a draw-off pipe connected to said trough.

RODERIC M. KOCH. 

